Office of Computer and Communications Systems

OCCS Mission

The Office of Computer and Communications Systems (OCCS) provides efficient, cost-effective computing and networking services, technical advice, and collaboration in informational sciences in support of the research and management programs offered through NLM.

OCCS develops and provides the NLM backbone computer networking facilities, and supports, guides, and assists other NLM components in local area networking. The Division provides professional programming services and computational and data processing facilities to meet NLM program needs; operates and maintains the NLM Computer Center; designs and develops software; and provides extensive customer support, training courses and seminars, and documentation for computer and network users.

OCCS helps to coordinate, integrate, and standardize the vast array of computer services available throughout all of the organizations comprising NLM. The Division also serves as a technological resource for other parts of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and for other Federal organizations with biomedical, statistical, and administrative computing needs.

The Division promotes the application of High Performance Computing and Communication to biomedical problems, including image processing.

The OCCS staff develops computer-based systems for information retrieval applications, conducts computer science and engineering research and development, and consults and collaborates in the area of advanced electronic office automation facilities. They support software systems to perform these services, and conduct research and evaluations for best fit solutions to information access needs.

About OCCS

Director, Ivor D'Souza

Provides overall program and management direction for OCCS including development of new initiatives and liaison with NLM/OD and all NIH OIRM offices, centers, and divisions and provides liaison with other Federal agency IRM offices.

OCCS BRANCH DESCRIPTION

SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY BRANCH

Systems Services Section

Plan, evaluate, design, deploy, operate, and maintain leading edge computing and storage environments to meet NLM application needs. Plan, design, implement, and maintain the security and reliability of NLM production systems and development environments.

Plan, research, design, deploy, operate, and maintain leading edge systems and technologies to support library business and operations. Plan, coordinate, and administer all aspects of operational information delivery systems.

MEDICAL LANGUAGE BRANCH

Plan, develop, enhance, and operate software applications such as the Unified Medical Language System, the RxNorm system, and the Medical Subject Headings system to manage, produce, and disseminate controlled medical vocabularies and classifications.